BUY ONTARIO ACT (PUBLIC SECTOR PROCUREMENT), 2025 (SCHEDULE 1)
The Schedule enacts the Buy Ontario Act (Public Sector Procurement), 2025. The Act authorizes the Management Board of Cabinet to issue directives requiring public sector entities to comply with specified procurement policies, procedures or standards. Subsection 3 (2) of the Act provides that the directives may, among other things, require that preference be given to Ontario or Canadian made goods or to services provided in Ontario or Canada. Public sector entities under the Act consist of government entities and designated broader public sector organizations (both defined with reference to other statutory definitions). Additional persons or entities may be prescribed as public sector entities by regulation (referred to as “prescribed public sector entities” in the Act).
Under section 4 of the Act, a public sector entity must require, under a contract with a third party supply chain manager, that the manager comply with any requirement imposed under the Act on the public sector entity. Section 5 of the Act deems requirements established by directive that apply to a designated broader public sector organization or a prescribed public sector entity to form part of agreements or other funding arrangements between the organization or entity and the Crown or an agent of the Crown. Section 6 of the Act allows for the Management Board of Cabinet to direct that funds be withheld from designated broader public sector organizations or prescribed public sector entities in cases of non-compliance with a requirement imposed under the Act. Section 7 of the Act allows the Minister to require reviews of public sector entities’ compliance with a requirement of the Act or a directive and to take certain actions following the completion of the review, including directing that corrective action be undertaken.
The remaining provisions of the Act address various matters, including the interaction between the Act and the Discriminatory Business Practices Act, protections against liability and regulation-making powers. The Building Ontario Businesses Initiative Act, 2022 is repealed.
Source: Bill 72, Buy Ontario Act, 2025 - Legislative Assembly of Ontario